The Silent Crisis: Understanding Suicide Risk

For this special Suicide Prevention Month episode of Road to Resilience, host Stephen Calabria speaks with Dr. Igor Galynker, psychiatrist, researcher, and director of Mount Sinai’s Suicide Research and Prevention Laboratory, about one of the most urgent and misunderstood public health challenges of our time. 

Drawing on decades of clinical experience and research, Dr. Galynker explains why suicide risk is often far more complex than depression alone and discusses the limitations of traditional approaches to identifying people in crisis. 

The conversation also examines the impact of major life stressors, shame, substance use, social media, resilience, and emerging approaches to suicide risk assessment. Most importantly, Dr. Galynker emphasizes that suicide risk is not a sign of weakness, but a treatable condition, and that greater awareness can help save lives.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.

Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.

Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.

If this episode inspired you, please consider supporting the Mount Sinai Health System. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we rely on philanthropy to advance compassionate patient care, groundbreaking research, and medical education. Your generosity helps make conversations like this possible—and fuels the work behind them. To learn more or make a gift, visit give.mountsinai.org.

Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System. Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience—as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more—on the Mount Sinai website.